The present invention is directed toward the synthesis of a novel antifungal agent prepared by biotransformation of known compound, sordarin.
Sordarin is an antifungal antibiotic isolated from the ascomycete Sordaria araneosa (see GB 1,162,027 and Helvetica Chimica Acta, 1971, 51:119-20). Other compounds having the sordarin skeleton have also been reported as antifungal agents. Japanese Kokai J62040292 discloses the compound zofimarin isolated from Zopfiela marina sp.; Japanese Kokai J06157582 discloses the compound BE-31405 isolated from Penicillium sp.; and SCH57404 is reported in J. Antibiotics, 1995, 48:1171-1172. Semi-synthetic sordarin derivatives are reported in PCT Applications WO96/14326 and WO96/14327. The compounds exhibit antifungal activity against fungi including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis.